The Daily Drift

Today also happens to be Rain Day ...!

 

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Today in History

1588		The Spanish Armada is sighted off the coast of England.
1602		The Duke of Biron is executed in Paris for conspiring with Spain and Savoy against King Henry IV of France.
1603		Bartholomew Gilbert is killed in Virginia by Indians, during a search for the missing Roanoke colonists.
1693		The Army of the Grand Alliance is destroyed by the French at the Battle of Neerwinden.
1830		Liberals led by the Marquis of Lafayette seize Paris in opposition to the king’s restrictions on citizens’ rights.
1848		A rebellion against British rule is put down in Tipperary, Ireland.
1858		Japan signs a treaty of commerce and friendship with the United States.
1862		Confederates are routed by Union guerrillas at Moore’s Mill, Missouri.
1875		Peasants in Bosnia and Herzegovina rebel against the Ottoman army.
1915		U.S. Marines land at Port-au-Prince to protect American interests in Haiti.
1921		Adolf Hitler becomes the president of the Nationalist Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nazis).
1945		After delivering parts of the first atomic bomb to the island of Tinian, the U.S.S. Indianapolis is sunk by a Japanese submarine. The survivors are adrift for two days before help arrives.
1981		Prince Charles marries Lady Diana.
1990		Boston Red Sox hit 12 doubles in a game, setting major league record.
1996		A US federal court strikes down the child protection portion of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, calling it too broad.
2005		Astronomers announce discovery of dwarf planet Eris, leading the International Astronomic Union to clarify the definition of a planet.

Can Au Pairs Legally Be Paid Less Than $5 An Hour?

A class action lawsuit against American au pair agencies claims that their stipends, which can amount to just $4.35 an hour, are illegally kept low.

Judge orders teenage defendant to be ‘court artist’

A teenage boy charged with breaching his bail conditions has been given one more chance by a judge in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, and ordered to become an unofficial court artist for three days. The 16-year-old, who lives in a children’s home, appeared before District Judge Barney McElholm in the magistrates’ court on Thursday.

The teenager, who had been bailed on charges related to public order offenses, was arrested on Wednesday after he failed a police preliminary impairment test carried out to determine if he was under the influence of drugs. He admitted consuming cannabis before he was arrested. Applying for bail, his solicitor Ciaran McGuinness told Judge McElholm that the boy was bored, but that he also had an interest in art.
The judge said he would give the youth one more chance and granted him bail. He told the teenager to stop using cannabis and said that because of the youth's interest in art, he would impose an unusual bail condition on him. “You must attend this court on Friday and on next Monday and Tuesday for two hours,” he said. “You must bring with you a sketch pad and a pencil and you can draw me and the solicitors for two hours each day - only me and the solicitors - and I will review the matter on Wednesday of next week.”
Judge McElholm added: “If you look stoned, you will be arrested and remanded in immediate custody.” The youth was also ordered, as part of his bail conditions, to abide by the rules of the children's home, not to possess any bladed articles except during meal times, not to consume alcohol or drugs, and to observe a 7pm to 7am curfew. He is also to be electronically tagged during his bail period.

West Virginia woman may have killed real life ‘Dexter'

West Virginia woman may have killed real life ‘Dexter'

Called to the scene, police discovered a shovel, knives, a bulletproof vest, bleach, trash bags, sledgehammers, and an axe in his car.

Deranged Couple Sets Homeless Man On Fire In Front Of Kids, Thought It Was ‘Okay’

Surveillance footage has led to the arrest of an Albuquerque couple who set a homeless man on fire with fireworks on July 11. Joshua Benavidez and Irene...

Deranged Couple Sets Homeless Man On Fire In Front Of Kids, Thought It Was ‘Okay’ 

Police mystified by stacked cars at shopping center

Police in Maryville, Tennessee, are trying to figure out how a red Chevrolet Camaro ended up stacked on top of a black Subaru SUV.

Officers were called to the parking lot in front of Foothills Plaza Wines and Spirits at around 6:38pm on Wednesday.

No injuries were reported, but the incident made quite a sight for passers-by.

Police are now investigating the cause of the incident.

Driver unsuccessfully attempted to cross closing retractable bridge

A 56-year-old man was injured after driving off a retractable bridge as it was closing in Bruinisse, the Netherlands, on Tuesday.

According to a police statement, the man was initially unharmed and climbed out of the vehicle.

YouTube link.Alternative, slightly longer video.

However, he broke several ribs and punctured a lung when attempting to escape the water onto a concrete ledge. He was later rescued and taken to hospital.

The waterway was closed for several hours while a crane winched the car back onto dry land. Police have launched an investigation into the incident.

Woman Let jesus Take The Wheel, Ran Over Grandmother Getting Children Out Of Car

A nice, 'christian' lady in Ohio has managed to avoid jail time after letting “jesus take the wheel” and injuring a grandmother as she was getting...

Woman Let jesus Take The Wheel, Ran Over Grandmother Getting Children Out Of Car 

Cocaine suspect claimed powdered nose was due to having just eaten a doughnut

A man from Wayne, New Jersey, caught with cocaine and a loaded handgun tried to explain away the powder on his face by telling police that he had just eaten a doughnut, authorities have said.

Police pulled over the Jeep Grand Cherokee that 30-year-old Octavio Delasuaree was driving after it cut off their patrol car on Sunday night, according to Capt. Laurence Martin. Officers Joseph Rooney and Robert Fernandez noticed Delasuaree was having labored breathing, while his hands were shaking uncontrollably, Martin said.
Delasuaree also had powder around his nostrils and mouth, Martin added. "Mr. Delasuaree attempted to explain his condition by stating he had just eaten a doughnut," the captain said. "The officers observed a clear plastic bag on the floor that was suspected cocaine." Police discovered 17 oxycodone pills and a Sig Sauer 9mm semi-automatic handgun in the passenger seat-area.
The gun was loaded with four hollow point bullets. Delasuaree told police the gun was for his own protection, according to authorities. He was arrested on charges including possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and drug offenses. Police said Delasuaree was ordered held on $100,000 bail, with no 10 percent option.

Police hunt raspberry-blowing woman

Police are hunting a "phantom raspberry blower" after several incidents by a woman aiming them at strangers in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.

One man was left stunned after a "middle class looking woman with crazy hair" blew the raspberry in his general direction after he dared to cross her path in a supermarket car park.

He also claimed she started to film him. The man, who did not want to be named, said: "The bit that upset me most was the fact I had to clear a fleck of spit from my inner ear."
He also said when he turned around it appeared she was filming him or taking his photograph on a camera phone. A police spokesman said "We would like to hear of any other incidents involving this woman – it's very strange."

The Great Black Swamp

The Great Black Swamp... was a glacially fed wetland in northwest Ohio and extreme northeast Indiana, United States, that existed from the end of the Wisconsin glaciation until the late 19th century...
It stretched roughly from Fort Wayne, Indiana in the west, eastward to the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge near Port Clinton along the Lake Erie shore, and from (roughly) US 6 south to near Lima and Findlay. Near its southern edge at the southwestern corner of present-day Auglaize County, the swamp was so impervious to travel that wheeled transportation was impossible during most of the year, and local residents thought the rigors of travel to be unsuitable for anyone except adult men...
Although much of the area to the east, south, and north was settled in the early 19th century, the dense habitat and difficulty of travel through the swamp delayed its development by several decades. A corduroy road (from modern-day Fremont to Perrysburg) was constructed through the Maumee Road Lands in 1825 and paved with gravel in 1838, but travel in the wet season could still take days or even weeks. The impassibility of the swamp was an obstacle during the so-called Toledo War (1835–36); unable to get through the swamp, the Michigan and Ohio militias never came to battle. Settlement of the region was also inhibited by endemic malaria. The disease was a chronic problem for residents of the region until the area was drained and former mosquito-breeding grounds were dried up.

Quick Hits

FBI arrests animal-rights activists for releasing 5,740 minks

You're probably going to be poor

Native American skull found in Kentucky sinkhole could be 3,000 years old

8-foot tall 'well-preserved yeti' sold at auction

An 8-foot (2.4m) tall "well-preserved yeti" has been sold at auction in Somerset for £1,350. The specimen, described as having "some signs of wear" to its feet, was sold as part of an estate clearance.
Thought to have been commissioned by a Victorian shop keeper to enhance his business, the "mystical creature" in fact had the opposite effect. The giant stuffed creature had a guide price of £600 to £1,200. The lot was sold with an accompanying plaque, which describes the beast as a "particularly well preserved specimen of a yeti" and the only one "known to exist".
It also states that it was discovered "120 years ago in a crevasse into which he had fallen" on the borders of Azerbaijan. But, according to Shaun Rock from Yeovil Auction Rooms , the giant "Big Foot" was in fact made for a local chemist who thought it would be "good for business" in his shop.
"It had completely the opposite effect, people were scared to go in," he said. "Locals were scared to come out of the house because of this unknown creature and he lost his business." Although it has not been revealed who the buyer was, it is thought the "yeti" will be leaving the country.

Motorist appeals for help after mystery horse kicked his car to bits

A young driver is appealing for help after returning to his car to find it badly damaged, with a witness saying it had been smashed by a frightened horse. Ashley Rodd from Plymouth, Devon, left his car parked among others at Burrator on Sunday and came back at 3.40pm to find it badly damaged.
The windscreen has been smashed, there are dents all over the front passenger side, paintwork was scratched away and the wing mirror has been kicked off. The damage is so bad and so extensive the car could be written off if Ashley wanted to return it to its former glory, with no insurance details on the person responsible for the damage. Ashley said: "After a lovely walk around Burrator I came back to my car to find it like this.
"My car was parked up like all the rest. A note was left by a helpful witness and it read that a lady with blonde hair had a horse that got startled so reacted and smashed into my car at 2.50pm. The lady did nothing whatsoever and just walked off with her horse. I am only a learner and the lady could clearly see that, and this is my first car so this was a nightmare for me to drive home." The horse is described as brown with red shin pads.
Ashley added: "I want her to read this and come forward once she has released the damage and hassle this has caused. The damage to my car has been quite severe. She should have taken responsibility and not just fled without leaving a note. I have been learning for ages and am close to taking my test. But the car looks to be a write off. What angers me the most is that I will have to pay for it all myself. It doesn't seem fair."

Woman tried in vain to save injured opossum

Page Jones made a selfless stop early on Wednesday morning when she pulled over to help an opossum that was hit by a car on the Westpark Tollway near Houston, Texas. Cameras along the Tollway filmed Jones frantically fanning the animal with a cloth bag she had with her. "It lifted its head up and it looked at the car," Jones said.

"And I was just like, 'I've got to stop.' I know I must've looked crazy to the people coming up the Tollway." For 10 minutes she tried to keep it cool while waiting for help. Then Deputy Constable Aponte and Vernon Phillips with the Tollroad Authority pulled up. "The traffic is really scary - it's kind of nerve-racking," said Capt. Terry Allbritton with the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office.
"We are concerned about the animal; we're also concerned about the citizen that's out there trying to help the animal." "We got the little guy into a sack and I was just like, 'Okay I'm going to take my bag of opossum to the Wildlife Center," said Jones. Jones quickly hugged both of the men who helped her, then rushed to the Wildlife Center of Texas, where she also volunteers.

YouTube link.

Unfortunately, the opossum didn't make it. But Jones would stop again if she saw a wounded animal on the side of the road. "It's kind of first instinct," Jones said. "You don't want it to suffer; you don't want it to die." Albrittion stressed that it's dangerous to stand alongside any roadway. If you find yourself stopping to help a wounded animal, let authorities know first so they can help keep you safe, too.

Mother duck led babies on harrowing journey across busy highway

A mother duck took her family on a harrowing journey across a busy highway.

The ducks crossed four lanes of Interstate 35W near Mounds View, Minnesota.

Approaching cars quickly switch lanes, nearly hitting each other, but not the ducks.

YouTube link.

Somehow, the whole family made it safely to the grassy area on the other side of the road.

Dog shot after being mistaken for a lion

A dog in Milwaukee is expected to make a full recovery after being shot in apparent mistake for a lion reported to have been prowling city streets, authorities said on Wednesday.

The white pit bull with one blue eye, whose owner has not been found, was shot in the right paw on Tuesday on the city's North Side about two miles away from the reported lion sighting, animal control officials said.
"It's ludicrous. It's not tall and not anywhere near the size of a lion," said Karen Sparapani, director of the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission. "We are trying to tell people not to panic."

YouTube link.

The shooting follows a telephone call to police on Monday from a woman who reported seeing a lion in her neighborhood. A cell phone video clip surfaced hours later showing a blurry image of a large cat-like animal strolling about, heightening fears and speculation.

Woman jumped into pond and fought alligator as it tried to kill her dog

Lori Beiswenger will do anything for her dog, even fight off a 7½-foot alligator. Beiswenger, owner of Point O'Woods golf course in Inverness, Florida, was outside gardening with her 9-year-old terrier mix, Hope, on July 11, when she heard a scream. She turned and saw an alligator pull the dog into a nearby pond. "I hear the most God awful, piercing scream that I have ever heard in my life," she said. "I saw teeth and hair and gator," recalled the 52-year-old mother of four. "I was screaming her name, 'Hope, no!'" she said. "Then I started screaming, 'Somebody help!'" No one heard her screams.

"I jumped in, grabbed the [gator's] tail and pulled him back and he started thrashing and rolling her [Hope] some more," she said. Up to her neck in water, Beiswenger pulled the gator's tail a second time. "The third time I did it, he turned around and looked at me," she said. Fearing for her life, Beiswenger got out of the water. As she looked back, Hope was still sinking and the gator kept pulling her under the water. Beiswenger said she threw herself onto the ground and kept screaming. Finally, Jodie Daniels, a golf course volunteer, who was teeing up on hole one, heard Hope yelping. That's when he ran over to help.
"I thought it [Hope] was dead because all I could see was the whites of its eyes," said Daniels. Listening to Beiswenger's pleas, Daniels grabbed a golf club and waded into the water until he was knee deep. Daniels says he was unable to reach Hope with the golf club because it wasn't long enough. That's when Beiswenger brought him a shovel. "It was quite a shock to pull the dog up and the gator is still attached to the dog," he recalled. Bloodied, but with all her legs still attached, Hope ran onto the dry land and the gator followed. Daniels recalled hitting the gator on the top of the head with the shovel and the gator swimming off. Beiswenger picked up Hope, put her in a golf cart and drove her to the clubhouse.

YouTube link.

Once there, she grabbed a tablecloth and used it as a tourniquet. She managed to get Hope to an emergency vet nearby. Since Hope swallowed a lot of water, there were complications with being able to immediately take her into surgery, Beiswenger said. Eventually, Hope would undergo a three-hour surgery. Hope went home that night. "I was on death watch," Beiswenger said. The next day, a private company trapped the gator. Beiswenger watched as the gator was pulled from the pond and had his feet tied behind his back. The company later killed the gator and sold the gator meat to a restaurant, according to Beiswenger. Hope is expected to have her stitches removed on Saturday.

Animal Pictures